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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Stewart Land Entries Along the Yadkin River

Last Thursday I spent the entire day in Raleigh, NC at the state archives pulling land entries, surveys, grants, etc on microfilm. My primary focus that day was the Stewarts and Harrisons and their settlements along the Yadkin River in modern day Forsyth Co, but in those days, Anson, Rowan and later Surry counties.

I have more details on the Stewarts and their records along the Yadkin on my Stewart Timeline, but as a result of this archives trip, I can now understand the various records much better. In particular, there seems to have been six (6) land entries involving Samuel Stewart Sr and Jr, and David Stewart - from 1748 through 1762. There were subsequent deeds as well, but these six land entries are more specific to land "grants" - a subject full of confusion and speculation for many years as it concerns these Stewarts.

As best I can tell at this point, the following records are the extent of the land entries (application for grant), survey warrants, surveys, and grants, in regards to the Stewarts - east of the Yadkin River. Not all land entries and surveys led to grants. In some cases, grants were issued and later confiscated. So there still remains some confusion, but the following details certainly clear up many previous errors.

1748, (Stewart Entry #1) David Stewart entered 138 acres on the Yadkin River, Anson Co., surveyed 10 Jan 1748/49 (1749 by today's calendar). Per Hofmann's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 4, grant #285 says "David Stewart, plat dated 10 Jan 1748/49, 138 acres (Anson Co) on the North Bank of the Yadkin River opposite Eagleton, joining the river bank; CC: Abraham Potter, Antony Heavely; C. Robinson Surv." This tract was definitely along the bank of the Yadkin River. David was the first of the Stewart clan to enter land in Anson Co. However, there is no record of any grant ever being issued for this 138 acre survey. There may have been, but I can find no record of it.

1751 (Oct 9), (Stewart Entry #2)Samuel Stewart, Entered 640 acres on 9 Oct 1751, Warrant for survey dated 1 April 1752. Survey date is not known, but Grant was issued 10 Jan 1761 according to the warrant cover. This grant was for 640 acres on a branch of Muddy Creek above the head of Stewarts Run at a White Oak Mark'd. I found no grant paperwork for this, but again, the warrant cover had a notation that a grant was issued on the date previously noted. Also on the warrant cover, under Samuel Stewart's name, was "Muddy C" with the rest of "Creek" blotted out. Then under that note was "Esaih" and obviously something else after that blotted out. This would be a good time to note that many Harrison researchers have said that Isaiah Harrison Jr received a 640 acre grant in Anson Co NC under the name "Esaiah Harrison". I have never been able to find this grant at the NC Archives. Perhaps this particular grant was originally for him, but then was assigned to Samuel Stewart instead? Isaiah Harrison Jr is believed to have been Samuel Stewart's father-in-law.

1751 (Oct 9), (Stewart Entry #3)Samuel Stewart Junior, Entered 646 acres on 9 Oct 1751, Warrant for survey date is unknown, but a survey was completed on 23 Apr 1753, with chain carriers David and John Steward. No grant paperwork has been found, so it is not clear to me there was ever a grant issued for this survey. This survey was for 646 acres on the NE side of Yadkin River and on waters of Reed Creek, beginning at David Stewards corner. I believe that Reed Creek may have been south of Bashavia Creek and possibly somewhere in the vicinity of the Shallowford or even Double Creek. At this time, given that David Stewart's lands appear to have been between the Shallowford and Bashavia Creek and on the river bank, I'll assume Reed Creek is in that area as well.

1753 (July 16), (Stewart Entry #4)Samuel Stewart entered 640 acres on 16 July 1753, east side of Yadkin River on the South Fork of Barshaby (Bashavia) Creek, joining his other survey. This entry (Rowan Co) joined the bank of the Yadkin River. Wit: Jno Haywood, David Stewart. Warrant dated 30 Nov 1753, surveyed 24 May 1754 (for 508 acres), deed issued 9 May 1757 (warrant cover), same day as David Stewart's 380 acre grant. CC: John Stewart, John Dawson. The back of the grant described the grantee as "Samuel Stewart Sr". On the grant itself you can see that Samuel Stewart Sr always made his mark "S". This tract of 508 acres was later sold to Matthew Brooks in two parcels (1775 and 1779), both deeds mentioning the "bank of the Yadkin River" and the latter one also said "down the river". This was grant #4903 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.

1753 (July 26), (Stewart Entry #5) David Stewart entered 640 acres on 26 July 1753, east (north) side of Yadkin, (Rowan Co) adj Joseph Hartford, Wagners line, John Miller, and the several courses of the sd river. Warrant for survey dated 30 Nov 1753 (warrant cover), surveyed 23 May 1754 (for 380 acres), deed issued 9 May 1757 (deed cover), same day as Samuel Stewart Sr's 508 acre grant. CC: John Stewart, John Dawson. This 380 acre tract was later referred to as David Stewart's Fishing Place, and then again later was described as containing a "Fish Pott" and "Seine Landing", the latter being a type of fishing net. I believe this land to have been at or near the modern day "Old 421 River Park" in modern day Forsyth Co NC. Another possible location for this tract is a little further south, closer to the Shallow Ford. This was grant #4898 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.

1762 (May 24), (Stewart Entry #6) Samuel Stewart (Sr, but later sold by Jr) was granted 332 acres on 10 Aug 1762, Rowan Co East side Yadkin River and on both sides of Swan Creek, adj David Stewart, George Stown, John Howard, and bank of river. Wit: John Frohock; Surveyed by John Frohock 24 May 1762 (survey cover); CC: David Stewart, Thomas Harrison. Note: Plat was originally done in the name of Joseph Harrison, a line drawn through and Samuel Stewart written above. This survey was clearly on Swan Creek, clearly for Joseph Harrison originally, and clearly Samuel Stewart Sr, based on Samuel's "S" mark on the grant itself. This grant has always been attributed to being Samuel Stewart Sr, and referred to in Lydia Stewart's 1771 will where she left this land to her sons if they could "obtain a clear title". However, I no longer agree with the latter assumption. Lydia's will clearly refers to a tract of land on the "south" side of the Yadkin, and this tract was on the east (or north) side, so this is NOT the land Lydia was referring to. Interestingly, this land was sold by Samuel Stewart JR and his wife Elizabeth Stewart in 1774 to Joseph Williams (Surry Bk A Pg 95), witnessed by John Harrison, and bounded as "adj. David Stewart.... riverbank..." and George Stown to the east and John Howard to the south and west. Subsequent deeds describe this tract as "North side Yadkin River, both sides Snow Creek." It is DEFINITELY the same tract. It could be that Samuel Jr sold this land as an heir, and his wife (Elizabeth Winscott) as a witness of Samuel Sr's will. This 1762 grant was grant #60, Bk 6, Pg 221, Issued 10 Aug 1762 Rowan Co, and was entry #4905 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.